House and Senate Approve Transportation Bill

After weeks of wrangling, the House and Senate hammered out an agreement on a $286 billion transportation bill late last month that includes several education-related provisions.

Both the House and the Senate approved the sprawling measure July 29. President Bush has said he will sign the bill into law.

The measure includes a plan to authorize almost $1 billion over five years to finance projects that make walking and biking to school safer for children. The legislation also includes language prohibiting school districts from buying or leasing passenger vans to transport students unless automakers redesign them to meet the same safety requirements as school buses. The bill also authorizes the Clean School Bus USA program to help retire older school buses that are heavy polluters.